What Art Schools Doesn’t Teach

What art schools doesn’t teach or rather what lecturers fail to recognize is that our eyes not only see but it transmits signals to our mind and hands when we see something pleasing and then, emulate. Or try to copy. And that’s why we see lots of repetitive appropriated works, works from younger artists bearing a semblance to their seniors working on the same style and subjects and colors too! and finally it became a chain of standardize factory formatted boring works flooding the art market which is not good for the art fraternity.
The second glaring reason why they copy is that they are also influenced by the saleability of these styles and works hoping to jump in the monetary bandwagon.
Then, there’s the conformist hoping that by jumping into the mould, acceptability equals accolade mustered. A Malaysiana experience unrevolting and conforming curators and writers love to typify and categorize younger artist by..
And the same goes to conforming by duress from lecturers who grade students according the the similarity in style with what he or she dispenses with and guides and in some cases hoping that by doing so, he or she would still be revered as the originator of the style thus propping up his ideas would heighten respectability from the art fraternity and push up his own sales.
What art schools should do is to discourage weaker and more easily influenced junior artists from attending art shows hoping to inspire them even when it means to support another fellow artist so as to avoid situations like this to happen so frequently. This is one duty better lecturers pay attention to.
But styles being styles throughout art and design history became a periodic style because of the heavy influence our eyes does and that too is most glaring in fashion and architecture beit rococo, gothic or modern.
But the only reason how some artist became more prominent than others is their originality. These artists are not influenced by others or what they see thus we can recognize a trend in them is that they coop up in their loft or studio practically being non existent and making art unperturbed by others. What more, they are all represented by trusted galleries.
Recently I had an encounter with a younger artist who thought traveling could inspire him and thus he should travel more when I thought he should spend more of his time honing his skills and subjects instead. I do not think one can go about everywhere searching for inspirations when it’s not happening right inside your gumption. Like I always say, if you’re not creative, nothing and no one can help you. No matter how much you see. And if you can’t breakaway from the mould , may god help you.
Here are some pictures I took of Zaha Hadid’s work now on display as some developers props and how she went that extra length to perfect her architectural philosophy and dedicating herself to fine tune every project she was awarded until she won the prestigious pritskers price. Be inspired. But not copy.

Personality Secondary

Talent must be prevalent in art but personality, secondary. Far more important than personality is your character and decorum. That brings about confidence for galleries to represent you because you are a stickler of schedules and agreements and you never fail to deliver good works. Personality is a trait that makes you well liked and it may influence some collectors to buy your works though not necessarily all. Crazy artists are favored by some collectors. Ultimately it still boils down to the standard of your work.
The most deplorable artist are those who takes agreements lightly, have a price war with those galleries representing them and those who undermine other fellow artists. Protecting your own turf does not mean setting fire on others.
Good artist can go obsolete if they do not chart their career path well. But that’s another subject altogether.’